麻豆社

A crucifix plucked from the rubble of the Somme battlefield and brought to England has now been returned to its original home in France.

The cross was originally from the church of Doingt-Flamicourt, which was destroyed, along with the rest of the town, during the World War One battle.

It is believed it was salvaged by a British Army chaplain and placed in All Saints Church in Tinwell, Rutland. More than a century later, it's back in its original spot.

A delegation from the village this weekend hand-delivered the crucifix, on the anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme. The idea to return it came from a 16-year-old boy in the congregation at All Saints Church, who discovered the French church had been rebuilt. His father Chas McDevitt accompanied the crucifix to France, and played the Last Post on a bugle during a ceremony held in the church cemetery.

The Revd Olwen Woolcock is the priest at Tinwell Church and tells Ben Jackson that returning the crucifix to the church of Doingt-Flamicourt was a very moving experience.

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